- Published:
Plasma Magnesium, Calcium and Inorganic Phosphorus in Norwegian Semi-Domestic Female Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) on Winter Pastures
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 38, pages 299–313 (1997)
Abstract
Altogether1645 blood plasma samples were collected from 2 reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L) herds in northern Norway (Mageroy and Soroy), and from 2 herds in southern Norway (Filefjell and Lorn) during the period from 1992 through 1995. Except for 2 subsets of samples from Lorn (N=51 and 56) all samples were collected on winter pasture between January and early March. The herds were of varying nutritional status, the Lorn herd being regarded to be among the best in the country in this regard. Plasma levels of magnesium, calcium and inorganic phosphorus were measured. In addition, plasma progesterone was used as a pregnancy test, a discriminatory level of 7 nmol I−1 being chosen as indicating pregnancy. For the investigated minerals, the analysis of variance included effects for year of sampling, herd, pregnancy status, age and mineral status.
Average mineral concentrations varied considerably between herds and year of sampling. The overall average (SD; min-max) concentrations of plasma Ca, Mg and P in samples collected on winter pastures were 2.42 (0.25; 0.9-3.6), 0.83 (0.17; 0.16-1.39) and 1.70 (0,47; 0.2-3.4) mmol 1−1, respectively. The overall pregnancy rate was 79.8%. The frequency of subnormal plasma values within herds and years for magnesium ( ≤0.7 mmol 1−1) and calcium (≤2.2 mmol 1−1) varied between 0 - 61.9% and 1.4 - 44.9% respectively. Significant positive correlations between calcium and magnesium were found in all herds except in the Lorn herd where all animals had plasma Mg values above 0.8 mmol 1−1. Generally, the highest correlation coefficients were found in subsets of data with a high frequency of subnormal magnesium concentrations. Plasma magnesium showed the greatest contribution to plasma calcium variance when tested together with herd, year of sampling, pregnancy status, age and plasma inorganic phosphorus. A decrease in plasma magnesium from 1 to <0.5 mmol 1−1 was associated with a decrease in plasma calcium of approximately 15%.
Mean plasma magnesium and calcium levels were significantly (p<0.01) higher in pregnant animals than in barren females, a significant positive relationship being found between pregnancy rate and average concentrations of the same minerals when sets of observations from different herds and different years were compared.
The positive correlation between plasma calcium and magnesium in herds with subnormal magnesium minima is consistent with evidence from other species reported in the literature of impaired calcium homeostasis in magnesium deficient animals.
References
Allcrofl WM., Green HM: Blood calcium and magnesium of the cow in health and disease. Biochem. J. 1934,25,2220–2228.
Allcroft WM, Green HM: Seasonal hyomagnesaemia of the bovine, without clinical symptoms. J. Comp. Pathol. Therap. 1938, 51, 176–191.
Anast CS, Forte LF: Parathyroid function and magnesium depletion in the rat. Endocrinology 1983, 113, 184–189.
Averill CM, Heaton FW: The renal handling of magnesium. Clin. Sei., 1966, 31, 353–360.
Bjarghov RS, Fjellheim P, Hove K, Jacobsen E, Skjenneberg S, Try K: Nutritional effects on serum enzymes and other blood constituents in reindeer calves (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 1976, 55A, 187–193.
Blaxter KL, Rook JAF, MacDonald AM: Experimental magnesium deficiency in calves. 1 Clinical and pathological observations. 2 The metabolism of calcium, magnesium and nitrogen and magnesium requirements. J. Comp. Path. 1954, 64, 157–175, 176-186.
Bohman VR, Horn FP, Littledihe ET, Hurst JG, Griffin D: Wheat pasture poisoning II. Tissue composition of cattle grazing cereal forages as related to tetany. J. Anim. Sei. 1983, 57, 1364–1373.
Contreras PA, Manston R, Sansom BF: Calcium mobilisation in hypomagnesaemic cattle. Res. Vet. Sei. 1982,53, 10–16.
Ebel H, Günther T: Magnesium metabolism: A review. J. Clin. Chem. Clim. Biochem. 1980, 18, 257–270.
Elin RH: Magnesium metabolism in health and disease. Dis. Mon. 1988, 34, 163–218.
Ender F, Dishington JW, Helgebostad A, Martisons E: The magnesium problem in relation to the tetany paresis syndrome in dairy cows. Nord. Vet. Med., 1957, 9, 881–917.
Halse K: Calcium effects on renal conservation of magnesium in cows. Acta. vet. scand. 1984, 25, 213–228.
Halse K, Skjenneberg S, Jacobsen E, Bjarghov RS: Blood magnesium and the renal magnesium threshold in lichen-fed and fasted reindeer. Nord. Vet.Med. 1976, 28, 529–538.
Hemingway RG, Ritchie NS: The importance of hy-pocalcaemia in the development of hypomagnesaemic tetany. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 1965, 24, 54–63.
Hoff B, Rognmo A, Havre G, Morberg H: Seasonal hypomagnesaemia in reindeer on Kautokeino winter pasture in Finnmark County, Norway. Rangifer 1993, 13, 133–136.
Hove K, Horst RL, Littledike ET: Effects of 1 α-hy-droxyvitamin D3, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2, 1,24,25 (-trihydroxyvitamin D3 and 1,25,26 tri-hydroxyvitamin D3 on mineral metabolism and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 concentration in dairy cows. J. Dairy. Sei. 1983, 66, 59–66.
Hyvärinen H, Helle T, Nieminen M, Väyrynen P, Väyrynen R: The influence of nutrition and seasonal conditions on mineral status in the reindeer. Can. J. Zool. 1977, 55, 648–655.
Kaneko JJ: Clinical Biochemistry of Domestic Animals 1989, 888–891. Academic Press.
Karns PD, Crichton VFJ: Effects of handling and physical restraint on blood parameters of woodland caribou. J. Wildl. Manag. 1978,42, 904–908.
Klahr S, Hammermann MR, Martin K, Slatopolsky E: Renal effects of parathyroid hormone and calcitonin, pp 269–322, In: Dunn M/(ed.): Renal Endocrinology. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, London. 1983.
Moate PJ, Scneider KM, Leaver DD, Morris DL: Effect of 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 on the calcium and magnesium metabolism of lactating cows. Aust. Vet. J. 1987, 64, 73–75.
Mori S, Harada S, Okasaki R, Iroue D, Matsumoto T, Ogata E: Hypomagnesaemia with increased metabolism of parathyroid hormone and reduced responsiveness to calciotropic hormones. Intern. Med. 1992, 31, 820–824.
Nieminen M, Heiskari U: Diets of free-living and captive reindeer during summer and winter. Rangifer 1988, 9, 17–34.
Quamme G A: Effect of hypocalcaemia on renal tubular handling of calcium and magnesium. Canad. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 1982, 60, 1275–1280.
Reinhart RA: Magnesium metabolism. A review with special reference to the relationship between intracellular content and serum levels. Arch. Int. Med. 1988, 148, 2415–2420.
Saggese G, Frederico G, Bertelloni S, Siampero J, Baroncelli GJ, Calistri L: Hypomagnesaemia and the parathyroid - vitamin D endocrine system in children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: Effects of magnesium administration. J. Pedriatr. 1991,775,220–225.
SAS Institute Inc.: SAS/STAT Guide for Personal Computers, Release 6.03. Ed. Cary, NC: SAS Institute Inc., 1988.
Shils ME: Experimental human magnesium depletion. Medicine 1969, 48, 61–85.
Âhman B, Rydberg A, Âhman G: Macrominerals in free-ranging Swedish reindeer during winter. Rangifer 1986, Special issue no. 1, 31–38.
Acknowledgment
We wish to thank H. Hansen and K. Freslie for excellent technical assistance. The project was financed by Reindriftens Fagrâd.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ropstad, E., Johansen, O., Halse, K. et al. Plasma Magnesium, Calcium and Inorganic Phosphorus in Norwegian Semi-Domestic Female Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) on Winter Pastures. Acta Vet Scand 38, 299–313 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548476
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548476